This invention relates to a shower receptor or shower pan. This invention also relates to a shower stall using the shower receptor. This invention also relates to a bathtub.
One piece molded shower receptors are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,385 to W. W. Whittick and U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,335 to Anthony Buonaura disclose examples of conventional shower receptors. These shower receptors were designed to replace tile and mortar bed shower floors which were prone to leaking. They were designed to mate with various conventional wall construction materials. Shower subwalls are conventionally constructed of cement mortar, gypsum board, cementitious backer, coated glass mat backer board, or cementitious coated foam backer board and the like. Shower wall surfaces are conventionally finished ceramic or porcelain tile, stone, marble or prefabricated sheet materials, which are attached with thin set mortar or adhesive.
Even though the conventional shower receptors may solve the problem of water leakage that is associated with tile shower floor construction, there are still water leakage problems associated with stone-, marble- or tile-covered interior shower walls. All tile and stone walls with grout lines leak and pass water. Grout lines are not waterproof and they are generally not maintained in a way that will prevent this occurrence. With age and use, cracks and/or holes may develop in the tile wall, allowing increasing amounts of water to seep into the wall. The water will travel horizontally and vertically behind the tile. When it reaches the bottom of the wall, it generally cannot flow into the shower receptor because the joint where the tile wall and the shower receptor meet is generally sealed with silicone or other caulk. The water therefore travels horizontally until it finally escapes the shower enclosure, either soaking into adjacent walls or leaking onto floors outside the shower stall. Alternately, the trapped water may wick upward into the drywall, plaster or other subwall material of the shower walls. Either way, the water seepage behind the tile wall can cause significant damage in shower stalls using conventional shower receptors.
When a bathtub is installed in a combination bathtub-shower installation, the bathtub functions in the same way as the shower receptors described above. When tile, stone, or marble walls are used in such installations, the same water seepage problems occur as in the shower stalls described above.
What is needed is a shower receptor for a shower stall or bathtub installation having a flange that is significantly higher than the threshold and the ledge area. What is needed is a shower receptor having a ledge area that is lower in elevation than the threshold. What is further needed is a shower receptor having weep valleys in all corners of the ledge area. What is further needed is a shower receptor having a ledge area with more than one step adapted for mating with various subwall materials. The inventive shower receptor meets these needs.